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Lucy Spacecraft Discovers Unexpected Contact Binary Orbiting Asteroid Dinkinesh

Lucy Spacecraft Discovers Unexpected Contact Binary Orbiting Asteroid Dinkinesh
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United statesHal levisonResearch instituteUniversity of maryland professor astronomyMaryland professorGeology jessica sunshineSmall celestialSouthwest research institute

Moon orbiting Dinky asteroid is actually two tiny moons stuck together

When NASA s Lucy spacecraft flew past its first official target Dinkinesh in November 2023, researchers discovered that the asteroid—known as "Dinky"—was not alone in space. A satellite asteroid, which the team named "Selam," was orbiting Dinky. As Lucy sent more data back to Earth, the researchers discovered something surprising: Selam was not just one moon, it was a contact binary—or two moons melded together.

United statesHal levisonUniversity of maryland professor astronomyResearch instituteJohns hopkinsMaryland professorGeology jessica sunshineSouthwest research institute

Moon orbiting dinky asteroid is actually two tiny moons stuck together

The moon orbiting the asteroid Dinkinesh is actually two tiny moons stuck together. Collectively called Selam, the two moonlets bring new insight into the complex processes behind planetary formation and evolution.

United statesHal levisonResearch instituteUniversity of maryland professor astronomyMaryland professorGeology jessica sunshineSouthwest research institute